


The Future (Does)n't Scare Me

by didsomeonesayventus



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Gen, The SoXeha is really more friendsy and only if ya squint I guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-02
Updated: 2015-10-02
Packaged: 2018-04-24 10:46:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4916581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/didsomeonesayventus/pseuds/didsomeonesayventus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>just a quick word barf with Sora and lil Nort</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Future (Does)n't Scare Me

Xehanort walked through the quiet streets of Traverse Town. The world was still fast asleep, he was merely waiting for the point he would be needed. If there was anything he had learned in these travels it was that time was relative, especially in the slippery Realm of Sleep. He could have ages to wait for Xigbar to have any need of him for their operation with breaking Sora down into the shadows of his heart, or it could be only a few fleeting moments.

Maybe this whole ordeal was a few fleeting moments. He then corrected himself that there was no uncertainty there: his older self’s plans were fleeting on his end. He would forget the instant he went back to his wretched home. No recollection besides an etched path he wouldn’t even notice. He chuckled at the thought of calling it a path he forged on his own when the truth was everything but.

Was he bothered by this? He honestly didn’t know. It wasn’t necessarily a waste of time- he would go back to the instant he left and his elder had no second wasted in his plotting. It was almost disturbingly calculated, and the only thing that kept that worry at bay was the lie of an ego-boost the younger used as an explanation. He was going to be so brilliant, wasn’t he? He had no issue with that. ~~Brilliant enough to calculate down to the crucial second was terrifyingly intelligent, a whole new level.~~

Xehanort paused. He glanced down an alley between the warm, shadowy brick, eyes narrowed and body tense. It wasn’t a Nightmare approaching him, but not a person either....

“Come out. I know you are there.” He said, voice an even-tempered drone.

No response.

Xehanort felt the warmth of his blades- ones he had received from his elder with a scoff at how he had yet to receive the Keyblade’s blessing, ambiguous as to whom or what the derogatory tone was directed at. He turned his head every so slightly, looking down and sneering, “I will use force if you do not comply.” He felt like he meant the threat, but some part of it felt empty. Did he really need to know this person’s identity so badly? What a waste.

Xehanort watched the cloaked figure step from the shadows. The brown burlap cloak crossed with leather...

Ansem- the Heartless of Xehanort and the one between them who had sought darkness his whole life -held out his gloved hand, “What do you desire more than anything else?”

Xehanort took a step back, “A-Ansem you’re... You’re supposed to be dealing with Riku right now.”

Ansem continued staring at Xehanort.

Xehanort stared back. He then squared his shoulders and said, “You know Riku is vital. If he gets to Sora-”

“What do you desire more than anything else?” Ansem repeated.

Xehanort sighed and said, “We both know that more than anything I desire freedom from the islands we called home. Now will you info-”

Ansem melted back into the shadows with a grin.

Xehanort took a deep breath and continued on. Ansem was continuing his plans, so maybe he would be needed for his own part soon-

Xemnas stood before him now. Imposingly tall and cold, the spitting image of what Xehanort could look like in the future. Looking down at Xehanort with a apathetic scowl, he asked, “What does your heart hold above everything else?”

“Not you, as well...” Xehanort groaned. If he was going to get pestered this evening when there was grander plans at stake, he wasn’t in the mood for it. He spat out, “Well, whatever game you are playing, I suppose what I covet is freedom. The freedom to seek my own answers.”

Xemnas turned and disappeared through a dark corridor.

Xehanort’s hands rose to fuss with his hood. He continued on, wondering when Xigbar would give him the signal and hoping it would just come already. He had no patience for this... this... child’s play.

“What are you so afraid of?”

Xehanort halted at the voice behind him. He couldn’t help his shoulders rising, his eyes growing wide. After a moment his surprise- and perhaps something more -turned into a bitter hiss, “I have no time for this,” he turned around, “Saïx.”

The blue haired man blinked, scar rippling along his long nose and brow. He then calmly repeated, “What are you so afraid of?”

“I’m not afraid of anything!” Xehanort snapped, “Now leave me alone so our plans can continued as they are supposed to-”

Saïx was ceaseless, “What are you so afraid of?” It echoed, a subtle hiss: “what are you afraid of?... afraid of?... afraid of?...”

“Nothing!” Xehanort yelled.

It repeated.

“What are you so afraid of?”

“I’m not afraid of anything how many times must I-”

Xehanort heard other voices, friend and foe alike, barely whispering at the edge of his perception. What are you afraid of?

“Everyone is afraid of something-”

“I hold no fear in my heart-!”

“You are afraid-”

“I AM NOT!” Xehanort felt his legs give out, and his hands dug into his arms or their own accord, “I AM AFRAID OF NOTHING!” He continued yelling, screaming as tears surfaced unbidden and he doubled over the tightness of his throat, “I AM NOT AFRAID! I AM NOT SCARED!”

“You sound like it to me...”

Xehanort stopped. His hand lunged out and summoned a blade, and a soft resistance stopped it from hitting its target. Xehanort didn’t force it, only glaring up at the boy who had wandered in on his privacy.

Sora- an older, different Sora -tilted his head, “You really don’t sound like you’re-”

Xehanort stood pressing his blade towards Sora, “Leave me alone!”

Sora easily blocked the blow, but backed away anyways, “Hey! Hey now, just here to help.” He held up his hands and dismissed the Kingdom Key, “I’m not here as an enemy.”

Xehanort glanced at his blade, then Sora. He stood straighter, glaring at Sora with the hope that the boy wouldn’t see any of the weakness behind it, “You must be very sadly mistaken, then.”

Sora covered his mouth in thought, then said, “Well, yeah, you did some nasty stuff to me, but-”

“Excuse me?” Xehanort asked. Sora blinked. He then let out a soft “oh!” and giggled. “What’s so hilarious?” Xehanort hissed.

Sora stopped and cleared his throat, “Ah, well, I think we got some time shenanigans going on right now. You haven’t put me to sleep yet, have you?”

Xehanort blinked, then looked Sora over, “H-How did you-”

“I think I’m from what’s your future, and you’re from what’s my past... I think.” Sora said.

Xehanort couldn’t deny that. Sora already knew of their plans and spoke as if the trap had been sprung. His older features and lighter hair clearly meant he was outside of the exam, at least. But that wouldn’t make any sense-

“I came to say hi to my Dream Eater friends!” Sora said to bridge the awkward gap of silence. “That’s why I’m here, so how ‘bout you?”

“Why on earth would I tell you?” Xehanort scoffed. He turned on his heel and walked away, “I don’t care why you’re here, just that you should leave me alone.”

“Hey! I-I get it we’re not on friendly terms,” Xehanort sighed at the heavy, careless thumps of Sora’s feet, “but you sounded terrified! Hurt!” The boy skidded into view, cutting Xehanort off, “Evil or not I feel you deserve a chance-”

Xehanort waved his hand and Sora was yanked away by magic, “I have no time for this. I may have already missed my cue.”

Sora ran right back up, “Come on, something’s eating at you! W-wanna get some ic-EE CREAMMM?!-” He was forced back again.

Xehanort continued trudging on, “Your sympathy will get you nowhere-”

“One bar! We can just sit down and eat one bar of ice cream each! Don’t even have to talk!” Sora insisted.

Xehanort sighed, “I swear if you think I would ever-”

...

“-enjoy this flavor then I suppose you are correct.” Xehanort mumbled when his first bite of ice cream had melted away. Salty, but also sweet. It was rather enjoyable, and he had no idea how Sora summoned two sticks of the treat. That was a perplexing question to ask another time.

“See? This isn’t so bad.” Sora laughed. He leaned back, careful not to fall into the Third District’s fountain, “You feelin’ sorry you didn’t take me up immediately?”

 

“If you’re to be a chatterbox, then perhaps not at all.” Xehanort grumbled.

Sora clammed up. He then laughed, “Okay, I guess that was funny.”

Xehanort chuckled. He then continued sucking on his ice cream, deciding that for the mean time Xigbar had no need of him and the Sora of his timeline had yet to wander into their grasp. The trap had yet to spring, and thus the bar had not snapped upon his pretty little neck.

Sora broke the silence again, “About what you’re probably gonna do soon... I don’t really blame you.” Xehanort glanced over. Sora, as always, was an irrational mess. That whole sentence made no sense.

Sora flicked his finished stick elsewhere, continuing, “You... we’ren’t really involved. You were just kinda there... talking, explaining, but not really doing anything.” He tilted his head, “I mean yeah, you helped them bring out the darkness in my heart, but... You told me what was going on, you told me what was gonna happen to me, and I guess that was pretty helpful. Didn’t really harm me either. Xigbar and Xemnas pulled most of my darkness to the surface and Xemnas really packed a wallop, but you were just kinda... there and not much else.”

Xehanort didn’t know how to take Sora’s words. He took another bite of ice cream, remaining stubbornly silent.

“I’m serious!” Sora said, “I’m not really mad at you I’m more mad at them. They were the ones who decided my heart was better off broken, and you just seemed to follow along.” Sora tilted his head a bit, wiggling it between left and right and making his hair bounce with it. He shrugged, “I don’t get why you went through so much effort but-”

“You’re far more useful to us as a Vessel than as some make-believe hero.” Xehanort finally spoke.

“So you admit you’re scared of me?” Sora teased.

“No,” Xehanort said, “we merely understand that you are a formidable foe. Gullible, naive, but not to be entirely underestimated.”

Sora nodded, “Good, cuz I’m only getting stronger from here!”

“No,” Xehanort replied, “I think you’ve hit your peak.”

Sora smirked, “What makes you say that?”

“Well you’ve hit quite a pinnacle of strength... I can’t imagine you going further from here.” Xehanort said, “It’s really a matter of what a person’s limit is, and it wouldn’t be hard for me to understand that you’ve hit yours.”

Sora scoffed, “That feels like a really backhanded compliment, but okay.”

They listened to the gurgling of the fountain and the gentle ambiance of Traverse Town together. Somewhere Dream Eaters were babbling. A few bells rang as someone entered a shop. The night sky made everything either sharp and clear or muffled and quiet because most residents were asleep and they needed their rest.

Sora stood, “Well, I mean, my ice cream’s done, and you’ve got somewhere to be. So...” He brushed off his pants, then turned around and extended his hand, “Wanna do this again some- huh?”

Xehanort was gone.

Sora looked around, “Where’d ya go?”

He then glanced back to where Xehanort had been sitting, and picked up the small wooden stick that read: “WINNER”.

**Author's Note:**

> I dunno I just really feel underneath that cold exterior lil Nort is just... really freaked out somewhere.


End file.
